Monthly Archives: January 2018

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Jack Martin really needs your prayers and thoughts right now. Jack has recently learned that he has pancreatic cancer and is in need of surgery and chemo. Jack’s cancer is the type that can be operated on with a procedure called the Whipple. Jack’s Waco doctor has suggested that Jack have the surgery either in Dallas or Houston. Jack has chosen Dallas as his daughter lives there. Only 20% of pancreatic patients are eligible for this type of surgery as it can only involve patients who have cancer in the head of the pancreas that has not spread.

Please lift Jack up in prayer as well as his doctors as this is a very complicated surgery. I will give you more details as we learn more…but for the time being, please put Jack on all your prayer lists. He has not been feeling well and of course, with all the testing, has had to skip meals for each and every test. When one deprives Jack of food … that is like taking a bone away from a dog … Not a happy camper! We wanted to give Jack a good “Waco Welcome” but surely did not want him introduced to his doctors in this manner.

UPDATE: Jack Martin met today (January 18th) with the Dallas surgeon who specializes in performing the Whipple. The doctor told Jack that he is a candidate for this type surgery. Jack is scheduled for surgery on February 7th at 10:00 a.m. at the Methodist Liver Institute in Dallas. The surgery should take about 5 hours, the doctor will do it robotically, and Jack will have to remain in the hospital for approximately one week.

Please, everyone, keep Jack on the top of your prayers lists!

Jack said all the responses he has received from everyone is heartwarming. Keep up the good work, graduates. You are the best!

An adapted version of “The Town Crier” sent by Jeanne Harman on January 2, 2018.

I hope everyone was able to have some wonderful holidays and I hope this coming year will be good to us all. We, of course, are aging—and more often than we like, we are going to be receiving some bad news now and then. That bad news can rear its ugly head at the most inopportune times. I hate to be the one who reports it … but better to know than remain ignorant.

Again, I want to say how very blessed our class is to have Elizabeth Bentley taking care of our website and for the generosity of Pat Payne’s financial help towards its continuation. I hope each and every one of you will go to our site and take a look. If someone you know is not receiving the Town Crier, Elizabeth is putting each issue on-line; therefore, our graduates will have the opportunity to read an edited version. She is editing out certain personal information in order to protect us from the forces of evil in cyberspace who would love to get ahold of our information. We were so lucky that Elizabeth “stepped up to the plate” for us after Rayburn’s death. She has done an AWESOME job.

Also, thank you Tim (Lasseter) Latta for taking on the task of organizing our 58th reunion. It is a huge undertaking! She will need your help- it is not a one-woman job. And Sissie Blair– thank you for organizing our WHS 60 quarterly luncheons. It is so great to see 35+ graduates get together every 3 months to laugh, reminisce, and break bread with classmates of long ago. We are a special class….no brag; just fact.

Let me give each of you something to think about. We have many graduates who live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area….in the Austin area….in the San Antonio area…and in the Houston area. Maybe someone in each of those areas would be willing to find a restaurant- once or twice a year- that would be able to seat several of us for a luncheon….just like what is done in Waco. Those individuals from other towns who are unable to travel to Waco for the quarterly luncheons or the reunion would at least be able to attend lunch in their own area to meet up with some graduates from their own area. Just a thought. We have a close-knit class and thank heavens for the internet, others who live far away can enjoy vicariously some of the memories and adventures our graduates are able to make. Just let me know if you plan one of these luncheons and I will get the news out to everyone. There is no telling who might be able to attend. Also, ALWAYS send me photos for the Town Crier so we all can enjoy.

Please, everyone, try to stay healthy this year … and I am speaking to myself as well as everyone else. I know several of our graduates have been struggling with some health issues. I do so hope you will plan to come to our reunion on October 16-17 of this year … maybe we can again get a picture of everyone on the steps of the old WHS building. Wouldn’t that be a hoot some 58 years later?

Thank each of you so much for your participation in sending me items and pictures of interest to post in “The Town Crier”. YOU are the success of “The Town Crier”. Without you and your input, I would have nothing of which to share with others. Let’s have a wonderful year, stay healthy, and make some happy memories.
Jeanne (Holland) Harman

From Our Graduates

Norma (Cissell) SmithWayne and I had our 56th wedding anniversary on November 11, 2017.
For Thanksgiving, we went to Atlanta, Georgia for about four days. There was so much good food. It was an unforgettable trip.

Russell Keeling lives in Redlands, CA and had this to say about the fires around the Los Angeles area. I worried that Russell might be in some danger. Below is Russ’s report to my inquiry:Redlands is about 65 miles from LA, so, for now, we’re in no danger from the present blazes. More importantly, the Santa Ana winds blow from east to west, which means we still have good air. However, brush is all around the community out here; so, anyone could start a fire and change matters quickly.
Merry Christmas and blessings to all WHS friends.

Phyllis BrooksWent for my yearly checkup with the cardiologist and pacemaker check at Baylor in November and found out I had a heart attack March 2. Glad the defibrillator is working. Otherwise, I am doing okay. Spent Christmas Eve and Day with nephews, nieces, and great nieces and nephews in Plano and Frisco.

Phyllis Brooks reports on Mickey Ann (Lade) PerkinsMickey is doing okay. She still has some pains in the back and rib area but after having an attack and being administered CPR while in the hospital the early part of the year, it took the starch out of her.

Ken/Scoot Baker and Janie/David McPhail recently made a trip to El Paso, Texas where Ken’s son is UTEP’s ladies basketball coach. While in the city, the couples decided to go to the original Rosa’s Cantina. Marty Robbins sang a song about El Paso and this Cantina … (click on the photo to hear the song.)

WHS 60 Quarterly Luncheon

December 5, 2017 – The weather was a little “iffy” – damp and cold – but there was still an ample group for the December quarterly luncheon.

We welcomed a new face to the group this time: John Thomas Davis. So wonderful to see John … We hope he had a good time and hope he will return.

A new feature was added: a drawing, this time for a cash prize. Sissy says it will be continued. The inaugural winner was Tim (Lassiter) Latta.

Tim announced the reunion for October 16th and 17th, 2018 and encouraged everyone not only to attend but consider volunteering to help. The venue is The Phoenix Ballroom with plenty of room for lots of tables (and chairs!!). Delicious hors d’oeuvres will be served on the 16th and dinner on the 17th. The caterer for both nights will be TCP Catering, as they have served us well in the past. There will be a cash bar both nights. Costs will be kept as low as possible to make it easy on everyone’s pocket book. If anyone desires tours or other events such as golf, card games etc., please let Tim know.

Memories

This picture was taken at Fishpond in the early 1950s. These are the ones who can be identified:
l-r Pat Payne, Jack Martin, Ann Kimbriel, Tom Mayfield, Noah Appleton (in the center looking at us), Patsy Stevens dancing with Harold Jobe? Looks like Sue Golden might be behind Harold Jobe… Do you recognize any others???